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ARVAD

(Heb. ʾarwaḏ; Gk. Arados)

The northernmost of the Phoenician city-states, occupying a small island (modern Ruad; 229473) just off the Syrian coast ca. 85 km. (53 mi.) S of Ugarit. In the Table of Nations its inhabitants are included among the Canaanites (Gen. 10:18; 1 Chr. 1:16). The Amarna Letters indicate that the navy of Arvad (Akk. Ar-ma-da-a) was the main military force used by a confederation of northern cities against the southern cities of Byblos, Sidon, and Tyre. Arvad’s navy impressed Tiglath-pileser I of Assyria, who recounted his sail on board an Arvadite ship.

Assyrian annals record that Arvad hosted Assurnasirpal II, presumably as part of trade relations with Assyria. However, with the imperalistic advance of Shalmaneser III, Arvad joined the North Syrian coalition against Assyria at the battle of Qarqar in 853. Subsequently Arvad became a vassal of Assyria. Nebuchadnezzar captured Arvad and other coastal cities, taking their kings captive to Babylon. Arvad’s continued prowess on the sea is echoed in Ezekiel’s oracle against Tyre (Ezek. 27:8). The Persians granted autonomy to the Phoenician cities, but by 333 Arvad surrendered to Alexander the Great, who used her navy to besiege Tyre. By the mid-2nd century the city was once again important enough to receive a proclamation declaring the alliance between Rome and Simon Maccabee (1 Macc. 15:23).

Gary P. Arbino

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ARVAD

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)